Reef and Rainforest

I flew back from Cairns to Brisbane yesterday, Steph very kindly picked me up and I am chilling at her place until I depart for Fiji very early tomorrow morning. Cairns and its surroundings are spectacular and I was all set to compose Adilady's best bloggingtons ever when 'ping' I get an e mail which has made me very sad and blusome indeed.

The mail was from CSB hoping that 'everything is groovy' with me but mainly to tell me that the job I had set my heart on is currently being advertised. Closing date 2nd December, interviews 12th and 13th for an Easter start. I'm totally gutted, I e mailed the chair of governors before I left with my travel dates and he told me I had plenty of time and to contact him after Easter; guess maybe they weren't as impressed with Adilady as they made out. Who needs feedback if it isn't honest?

It appears I have also been taken for a dillusional dickhead by my very own brain who should by rights really be on my side (damn you bastardo brainio). I think brains get a kick out of playing games with their host and the cruel trick mine has played on me is this: A deeply buried notion that when I arrived for interview looking a million dollars and wowing the panel with my charm, intellect and talent CSB would see the error of his ways.

So yet again in true Adilady fashion I need to dig deep and start looking for the positives. I guess now all ties are well and truly cut and I need my brain to get a fooking grip and focus in on phase 3 and moving on. With regards my future employment, I had set my heart on Matthew Moss as it is rare in this day and age to find a school that shares my vision and passion. Maybe it is time for a career change for little old me. Professional blogger? Marriage guidance councillor? Expert resilience tactician? Or maybe I should put an add in the paper for all men approaching their fiftieth birthday, 'having a midlife crisis? Marriage going tits up? Contact Adilady on.... and fill her head full of shit. Guaranteed to end in tears but don't worry they will mainly be hers lol.'

Anyway enough of this already and back to Cairns and snorkelling on the GBR. I took a boat trip on Wednesday, was told I was beautiful by the cork hat wearing old seadog of a captain (honestly? At the moment I will take any compliment I can get) and spent 45 dollars on hiring an underwater camera so that I could post pictures on bloggage. So no need for flowery descriptions, praise the lord! Enjoy the photos although I didn't see any turtles or sharks:(

 

Here are some views from on the way back...

I really did have a super duper day:D

Thursday and Saturday were spent out and about Cairns and I will blog about that separately. On Friday couch surfy host Dave took me and another girl called Adelle on a tour of the Daintree rainforest. Dave used to be a tour guide and from my experience a very good one. Here are the photos.

View from Rock Point.

This is Snapper Island because it is shaped like a crocodile.

View from Alexander Range lookout.

A very rare sighting indeed of a Cassowary, affectionately known as an Emu in drag. This is a juvenile male so hasn't the whole headdress regalia going on just yet. The Cassowary ladies have got things pretty cushtie in my opinion. She has 3 or 4 blokes on the go who build elaborate nests to try and impress. She mates with the ones she fancies, chooses her favourite nest to leave the eggs in and the proud owner of the nest gets to bring up the kids, regardless of paternity.

This is a Boyds Forest Dragon.

The sign below the 'watch out for emus in drag' sign was for a speed bump but some hilarious local has added their own spin:D

Noah's Creek.

A spearmint stick insect.

Views from Cape Tribulation. It was here I licked a green ant's arse. It tasted of citrus and the local Aboriginals make tea from them. Talking of the local tribe, this is how the kangeroo got its name: Captain Cook and The Endeavour first landed on Cape Tribulation in 1700 and something. His botanist and zoologist started to catalogue the flora and fauna and they were particularly intrigued by the furry, jumping creature that stood at about 4 ft tall. They took sketches to the indigenous people and pointed at them so that they could learn the name of this curious critter. The tribes folk responded with ' kangeroo' and so the animal was also named in the English language. It wasn't until communication had vastly improved that the settlers learnt that 'kangeroo' translates to 'I have no idea what the fook you are talking about!' 

I love these mangrove roots...

And for some unknown reason I love this sign.

We had lunch by this creek and a post luncheon swim. A croc free zone thankfully.

View of Cape Tribulation from further around the coast.

A boardwalk through the stinking mangroves.

This is a cannonball seed pod...

And this a fiddler's crab.

This is the ferry that crosses the Daintree river.

I kid you not, this parrot makes the ugliest sound ever uttered by anything with feathers.

The beach at Port Douglas.

This feature is made by the sand bubbling crab. It takes mouthfuls of sand, swishes it around to remove nutrients then spits out sand balls. The hole is where it disappeared once it was done.

Dave and Adelle. Neither of them like having their photograph taken so I guess I was lucky to get this one:)

Views from Rex lookout.

This is what coral sex looks like, brown sludge. I can't believe even the reef is getting more action than me lol!

A picture of a solitary yacht taken at Palm Cove.

Wild kangas and roos taken on the way home.

I can understand why North Queensland is Australia's top tourist destination, it really is very beautiful. Later I will tell you more about Cairns. Lots of love and over and out from a weary Adilady xxx